Kalanchoe plant named ‘Katapifa’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Kalanchoe  plant named ‘Katapifa’, characterized by its upright, uniform and moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; deeply serrated leaves; uniform and freely flowering habit; double red purple-colored flowers; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Kalanchoe hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘KATAPIFA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe plant, botanically known as Kalanchoe hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Katapifa’.

The new Kalanchoe plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new double-flowered Kalanchoe plants with attractive foliage shapes and flower coloration.

The new Kalanchoe plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands in February, 2006 of a proprietary selection of Kalanchoe hybrida identified as code number 20051474-010, not patented, as the female, or seed parent with a proprietary selection of Kalanchoe hybrida identified as code number 20041150-001, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Kalanchoe plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands in January, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Kalanchoe plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands since September, 2007 has shown that the unique features of this new Kalanchoe plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Kalanchoe have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Katapifa’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Katapifa’ as a new and distinct Kalanchoe plant:

-   -   1. Upright, uniform and moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Deeply serrated leaves.     -   4. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Double red purple-colored flowers.     -   6. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Kalanchoe differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe are smaller than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe are more freely branching than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe have smaller leaves than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   4. Plants of the new Kalanchoe and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have reddish pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can also be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Kalanchoe differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe are smaller than plants of the         male parent selection.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Kalanchoe are double whereas         flowers of plants of the male parent selection are single.     -   3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have reddish orange-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Don Juan’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,576. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands, plants of the new Kalanchoe differed from plants of ‘Don Juan’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe were more compact than plants of         ‘Don Juan’.     -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had smaller leaves than plants of         ‘Don Juan’.     -   3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe and ‘Don Juan’ differed in flower         color as flowers of plants of ‘Don Juan’ were red in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Kalanchoe plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Kalanchoe plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Katapifa’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet are close-up views of upper and lower surfaces of typical flowers (top), a typical inflorescence (center) and the upper and lower surfaces of typical leaves (bottom).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the winter in 12-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands and under conditions which closely approximate commercial Kalanchoe production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 30° C., night temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 25° C. and light levels ranged from 5 to 60 kilolux. Plants received long day/short night conditions (more than 14 hours of light) for about four weeks; plants then received photoinductive short day/long night conditions (minimum 14 hours darkness) until flowering. Plants were 13 weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Kalanchoe hybrida ‘Katapifa’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Kalanchoe             hybrida identified as code number 20051474-010, not             patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Kalanchoe             hybrida identified as code number 20041150-001, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at             temperatures of 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two weeks at             temperatures of 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures of 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures of 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit.—Upright, uniform and moderately vigorous growth             habit with rounded crown; freely flowering with numerous             compound cymes; appropriate for 12-cm and larger containers.         -   Plant height at flowering.—About 16.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter at flowering.—About 23.2 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; usually about ten             lateral branches develop per plant.         -   Length.—About 5.9 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.3 cm.         -   Aspect.—Erect.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—Between 143 and 144A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; generally symmetrical.         -   Length, generative plants.—About 9.2 cm.         -   Width, generative plants.—About 4.9 cm.         -   Shape.—Irregularly ovate to lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Obtuse to bluntly acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Deeply serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous,             leathery; succulent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N137B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137B to N137C;             venation, close to N137B. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Between 138A and 147B; venation, close to 138B.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 4.5 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper surface: Close to 143A to 143B. Color, lower surface:             Close to 143B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Double flowers arranged singly             in compound dichasial cymes arising from leaf axils; uniform             and freely flowering habit with usually about 50 flowers             developing per inflorescence.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Kalanchoe flower             from spring through autumn in the garden; flower initiation             and development can be induced under artificial short             day/long night conditions (at least 14 hours of darkness).         -   Time to flower.—Under short day/long night photoinductive             conditions, about 60 days are required.         -   Post-production longevity.—Excellent post-production             longevity; flowers maintain good substance for about seven             weeks under interior environmental conditions; individual             flowers last about ten days on the plant; flowers             persistent.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 4.3 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4.9 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 1.8 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 1.8 cm.         -   Flower bud.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Shape:             Oblong to narrowly obovate. Color: Close to 144C; towards             the apex, flushed with close to 62D.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: About 16 arranged in             several whorls; lower 50% of the petal is fused. Length:             About 1.6 cm to 1.9 cm. Width: About 5 mm to 5.5 mm. Shape:             Narrowly obovate to obovate. Apex: Abruptly acute. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 58B; towards the base, close to 144C to             144D; color does not fade with development. When opening and             fully opened, lower surface: Close to 58D; towards the base,             close to 144C to 144D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and appearance: Four, fused at the base.             Length: About 9 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Shape: Lanceolate.             Apex: Narrowly acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color: Immature, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 144C. Mature, upper surface: Close             to 144C. Mature, lower surface: Close to 144D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6.2 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Aspect: Mostly erect. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 143A to 143B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Aspect: Erect to about 35° from vertical. Strength:             Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close             to 143B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: About six             per flower. Filament length: About 5 mm. Filament color:             Close to 145A. Anther length: About 0.4 mm. Anther shape:             Oblong. Anther color: Close to 152B. Amount of pollen:             Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 11A. Gynoecium: Pistil             number: About four per flower. Pistil length: About 6 mm.             Style length: About 5.5 mm. Style color: Close to 145A.             Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to 150B to             150C. Ovary color: Close to 145B to 145C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development has not been             observed on plants of the new Kalanchoe. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Kalanchoe have been     observed to tolerate temperatures from about 5° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Kalanchoe have not     been observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to     Kalanchoes. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Kalanchoe plant named ‘Katapifa’ as illustrated and described. 